Did You Know That ...?
- The Nanmen Park is the third branch of the National Taiwan Museum. Covering a total of 5,620 square meters, the park offers a depository, exhibition space, and landscaped gardens.
- The original complex was constructed in 1899 as an industrial factory to process camphor and opium during the Japanese colonial era. The majority of the factory buildings were torn down after its closure in 1967, but the remaining structures have since been preserved as national historic sites.
- The history of Taiwan's camphor industry and the Nanmen Factory have been preserved through a permanent exhibition called "Refining Fragrance" at an exhibition hall that retains the impression of the original camphor warehouse. Moreover, camphor trees dating from the Japanese colonial era still remain on the park grounds today.
Read more about the Nanmen Park here or scroll down for pictures.
The Red House was once used to store opium. As the load-bearing walls do not allow for large windows, the only portholes to puncture the edifice are tall, thin sash windows.
The White Palace is the oldest building in the Nanmen Park complex. Dating from 1902, the two-story rectangular building was constructed with a mix of off-white Qilian stone and sandstone.
The garden is home to many native plants, animals, and insects as well as a large pool that was constructed in 1929 to serve as a reservoir for fire emergencies.